Electromagnetically operated switch



Feb. 18, 1941. H. VAN VALKENBURG ETAL. 2,231,973

ELECTROIAGNETICALLY OPERATED SMETGH Filed Aug. 2, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORfi Her/7707? Z. d alien/ un yfieznlarz Willie.

W TTOR/VEY 11. L VAN VALKENBURG ET AL ELECTROMAGNETICALLY OPERATED SWITCH Feb. 18, 1941.

Filed Aug. 2, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m M m m l dndka zierzh BY fi 'zlzarf 7. 122151. W4 TTORNE Y Patented Feb. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,231,973 ELECTBOMAGNETICAILY OPERATED SWITCH Hermon L. Van Valkenburg, Wauwatosa, and Beinhart F. Luke, Milwaukee, Wis, asaignors to Square B Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application August 2, 1937, Serial No. 156,862

8 Claims.

mounting and to an improved contact finger ar-- rangement for an electric switch of this type. One object of the invention is the provision of an improved pivotal mounting for the armature of an electromagnetically operated switch including interlocking means preventing displacement of the armature and spring means biasing the armature to its correct pivotal position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an electromagnetically operated switch having an armature member with improved means for absorbing the shock incident to stopping of the armature in its extreme position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simplified and easily demountable contact finger arrangement for an electromagnetically operated switch.

Other objects and features of this invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following specification and the appended drawings illustrating certain embodiments of the invention in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an electric switch according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the electric switch.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line HL-III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a partial view similar to Figure but showing the parts in closed circuit arrangement.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the line VV of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line VI-VI of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective View of the cooperating armature retaining brackets.

The electric switch according to the present invention comprises an insulated mounting plate I supporting, at the front face thereof, a contact post 2 carrying at its end a stationary contact 3. At either side of the contact post 2 are disposed spaced magnetic plates 4 and i connected in spaced relation by a magnetic pin 2. About the pin i is disposed a blow-out coil I having one end thereof connected to the post 2 and its other end connected to a circuit terminal 2 adapted for connection of a circuit wire as shown. An. insulating arc chute l is mounted upon the spaced magnetic plates 4 and I by being alidably interlocked therewith and its bottom portion receives the statiouarycontact 2 and a movable contact.

to be hereinafter described, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. A resilient finger ii is mounted on the plate 5 and carries a pin l2 interlocking with an abutment on the arc chute 9 to prevent removal thereof.

Rigidly supported on the plate I is an L-shaped 5 magnetic member I3 having disposed against the base thereof a magnetic core terminating at the pole piece it. About this core is disposed the energizing coil I5 for the magnetic circuit. At the front lower surface of the L-shaped member 13 is rigidly disposed a bracket l6 having eared portions I! at its opposite sides and a spring abutment portion i8 centrally thereof. The bracket l6 extends beyond the forward end of the member l3 and, with the front face of this end. forms a right angle bearing seat for an armature member I9 provided with a knife edge at its lower end, as shown, seated in this bearing seat. Rigidly connected to the armature i! are a pair of generally L-shaped brackets 2i and 22. The front faces of the brackets 2| and 22 are provided with flanges 23 and 2t spaced from each other to guide a contact carrying finger 2!. The flanges 23 and 24 are notched as at 22 to receive a rocker pin 21 which is elongated in cross section and, received in said slot, is limited to a disassembling movement parallel to the slot. A spring guide 28 is rigidly mounted on the arma-, ture l9 and is received within an enlarged opening 29 in the contact carrying finger 25. A notch 3| in the back face of the finger 25 receives the forward portion of the rocker pin 21 to form a fulcrum or axis for rotation of the contact carrying finger relative to the armature. I A compression spring 22 is disposed about the pin 22 biasing the finger 25 toward the armature and is maintained in place by a washer 22 and a pin 34 on the pin 22. An adjusting screw II, threaded into the finger 25 and bearing against the armature I! and having a locking nut 28, is provided for varying the normal position of the contact carrying finger relative to the armature. A movable contact 21 is mounted at the end of contact carrying finger 25 in position to cooperate with stationary contact I.

Beneath the spring abutment II is disposed a compression spring 22 having its opposite end engaged by a washer 2O threaded for adjustment on a spring guide pin 4|, a lock nut 42 being provided to maintain the adjusting washer a in its adjusted position. The front end of the spring guide pin M is provided with a transverse pin oraxisflreadilyremovablyreceivedwithin adepressedportioninabracket eonnectible to the opposite brackets 2| and 22 by studs 44. The bracket 44 is provided with backwardly extending flange portions 48 at its opposite sides which carry ears 4! interlocking with the ears I! on the bracket It to prevent displacement of the armature assembly. The compression spring 38 exerts a biasing force to the spring guide pin 4! on the bracket 44 and the brackets II and 22 to bias the armature into its pivot and also for rotation to its extreme on position.

Rigidly mounted on the back plate I is a massive conducting portion 48 insulated from the L- shaped magnetic member I! by an insulating sheet 49. The conducting portion 48 has sidewardly extending arm portions ii and 82 in position to be engaged by the back ends of the brackets 2| and 22 when the armature assembly is in its extreme oil position. The conducting portions 48 andthe arms ii and 82 form a rigidly mounted massive abutment engaged by the brackets 2i and 22, rigid with the armature I, to ahsorb the shock incident to the abrupt stopp g oi the armature in its extreme position.

A stud 53 which moimts the conducting portion 48 extends through to the back of the plate I and is there connected in conducting relation to a connecter 54 leading to the back portion of a terminal 55 at the front of the mountingplate and adapted for connection to a circuit wire as shown. A woven flexible conducting web 88 is rigidly connected at one end to the contact carrying finger 25 and extending beneath the magnetic circuit and armature biasing spring has its other end rigidly. connected to the conductingv portion 48.

The conducting portion 48 is provided with a generally central opening 51 in which is disposed an insulating tube 58 receiving and guiding the free end 59 of the spring guide pin 4|, thus guiding the movement of this end of the pin in response to movement of the armature member I 9 upon energization or deenergisation of the coil l5.

As shown, there is mounted on the mounting plate I an auxiliary switch comprised of a pair of resiliently mounted spaced contacts I adapted to be bridged by a conducting pin 82 mounted upon an insulating member 88 which is rigidly secured to the bracket 22 and will move therewith upon movement of the armature ll.

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been specifically disclosed, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto as many variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the inven-' tion is to be given its broadest possible interpretation within the terms voi the following claims.

What is claimed is: a

1. In an electric switch, a stationary contact, a magnetic circuit comprising a stationary ltl'ucture including an operating coil and an armature member, a movable contact resiliently mounted on said armature member and'adapted form the switching operation, said armature having a knife edge pivot on said statimary structure, means interlocking with said stationary structure to maintain the armature knite edge against its pivot, and a spring biasing said armature into its pivot and for rotation to one extreme position. i

2. In an electric switch, a stationary contact, a stationary magnet structure including an operating coil, an armature member having a knife edge like portiondisposed against a bearing seat on said stationary magnet structure, a bracket secured to said armature member and interlocking with said stationary structure to prevent displacement of said member, a movable contact resiliently mounted on said arms ture member and adapted to cooperate with said stationary contact to, performthe switching operation, and spring means biasing said armature into its pivot and for rotation to one extreme position.

3. In an electric switch, a stationary contact, a stationary magnet structure including an operating coll, an armature member having a knife edge like portion disposed against a bearing seat on said stationary magnet structure, a bracket secured to said armature member and interlocking with said stationary structure to prevent displacement of said member, a movable contact resiliently mounted on said armature member and adapted to cooperate with said stationary contact to perform the switching operation, a spring guide connected to said bracket, spring means about said guide and biasing it to pull the armature into its pivot and for rotation to one extreme position, and guide means for the free end oi said spring guide providing for sliding movement thereof upon rotation of said armature member.

4. In an electric switch, an L-shaped magnetic member, a magnetic core mounted on one leg of the l. and having a pole piece extending forwardly substantially to the height of the other leg 01 the L, a magnetizing coil about said core, means at the end of the said other leg of the L iormlng an angle bearing seat, an armature member having a knife edge like portion disposed in said bearing seat, a bracket secured to said armature member on the side of the L opposite the pole piece, said bracket member including portions interlocking with other portions rigid with said L-shaped member to prevent displacement of said armature member from its pivot, spring means connected to said bracket to bias the armature into its pivot and for rotation to one extreme position, a movable contact resiliently mounted on said armature, and a stationary contact supported in position to be engaged by said movable contact in performing the switching operation.

5. In an electric switch, a stationary contact, a stationary magnet structure including an operating coll, an armature member having a knife edgeflikeportiondisposedagainstabearingseat on said stationary magnet structure, a bracket secured to said armature member and interlocking with said. stationary structure to prevent displacement of said member, a movable contact resiliently mounted on said armature member and adapted to cooperate with said stationary contact to perform the switching operation, arigidly mounted, massive, metallic abutment adapted to be engaged by a portion rigid with the armature in its extreme position to abto cooperate with said stationary contact to persorb the shock incident to stopping the armsmean's about said guide end Basing-it to pull the armature into its pivot andfor rotation to its extreme position.

6. In electric switch, an L-shaped magneta core mounted on one-leg of said having a p le piece extending substantially to the height of the other leg of the member, an operating coil about said core, a bracket member rigidly attached adjacent to the end of said other leg of said member to form a right angle bearing seat with the end surface of said other leg, said bracket including eared portions, an armature member having a knife edge like portion disposed in said bearing seat, a bracket secured to said armature member'at the side of said L-shaped member opposite to said pole piece, said last mentioned bracket having eared portions cooperating with said first mentioned eared portions to prevent displacement of said armature member from its bearing seat, spring means connected to said last mentioned bracket and biasing said armature into its pivot and for rotation to one extreme position, a movable contact resiliently mounted on said armature, and a stationary contact mounted in position to be engaged by said movable contact in performing the switching operation.

7. A contact mounting for an electromagnetically operated electric switch comprising a movable element, a pair of elongated, spaced guide walls mounted to move with said element, a pair of opposed slots in said walls, a rocker pin of elongated cross section disposed in said slots, a contact finger mounted on said element by means of a transverse slot engageable with said rocker pin to provide a pivotal mounting for the finger, spring means biasing the contact carrying end of the finger toward the element and tending to maintain said slot and pin pivotal mounting to prevent displacement of the finger, the width of said finger being substantial- 1y equal to the spacing between said walls whereby the finger is guided in its pivotal movement with respect to the element.

8. A contact mounting for an electromagnetically operated electric switch comprising a movable element, a pair of elongated, spaced guide walls mounted to move with said element, a pair of opposed slots in said walls, a rocker pin disposed in said slots and mounted for movement with respect to said walls and element solely in a forward direction in line with said slots, a contact finger mounted on said element by means of a transverse slot engageable with said rocker pin to provide a pivotal mounting for the finger, spring means biasing the contact end of the finger toward the element and tending to maintain the slot and pin pivotal mounting to prevent displacement of the finger, said walls further cooperating with the sides of the finger to guide it in its pivotal movement with respect to the said element about said rocker pin.

HERMON L. VAN VALKENBURG. REINHART F. LUKE. 

